This month we have the honor of welcoming guest speaker Danika Alexis McCarthy whose Ojibwe name is "The Painted Turtle Woman." Our time together begins with a casual interview-style conversation between DEI council board member, Diane Otsuka and Danika Alexis McCarthy. Topics will be inclusive of our previous months of exploration on the subject of Unraveling Colonialism: A Study of the Native American Experience and move into topics we may not have covered previously (i.e., missing Native American and Indigenous women, a better understanding of the reference to Turtle Island, and more). This is a completely interactive discussion and audience participants are encouraged to interact with Danika throughout the program.

Danika brings a depth of knowledge, education, and lived experience in Native American studies, culture, and counseling and is herself a part of the Turtle Clan of White Earth Reservation in Minnesota. She has agreed to come into our space to offer wisdom and responses to questions that may have come up for us while on this journey together. This is our opportunity to reflect on the humanity of those peoples who have been caretakers of this land we now refer to as the United States of America. Danika invites us all to come into this space with authenticity, willing to potentially sit in discomfort and open to explore from a place of curiosity.

The evening includes a potluck for those joining in person.  Please bring your favorite dish to share.  We will also have time for debriefing and discussion.